Iconic Joshua Tree in Danger of Disappearing from the Mojave Desert
The Joshua tree is a unique and iconic species of the Mojave Desert that is facing challenging times with the threat of extinction due to climate change.
Biologists are afraid that climate change will cause the deterioration of Joshua tree's suitable habitat within a century.
The increasing severity and rising forest fires also pose a evident threat to the future of the Joshua tree population.
Joshua trees being a desert tree are not adapted to the effects of fire, making it difficult for the population to recover after such a disturbance.
As temperatures spike, biologists predict that the favorable region for Joshua trees will move northward, but the Yucca moth that pollinates Joshua trees don't dwell in the northern regions.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not add Joshua trees to the endangered or threatened species list despite persistent efforts of environmental group WildEarth Guardians.
Fish and Wildlife anticipated that the two species of Joshua tree populations will fall between 2040 to 2069, due to climate change, wildfires, drought, and invasive grasses.
The agency said that Joshua trees are long-living plants that have been dwelling in their habitats for thousands of years, even during recent hotter temperatures.
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